Socceroos vs Cameroon/ Curaçao March 2026 🇦🇺🇨🇲🇨🇼

[WhatAmIWatching]

Interesting that Cameroon were very physically strong in the challenge. Most of their players are young and want to put their hands up for ongoing selection.

Actually, I thought that the Cameroonian players were more physically developed than our players. O'Neill and Herrington were sticks next to them.

 

[Hillbilly55]

If we play like we did in the first 65min Curacao will dick us big time.

4 or 5 nil our way, and I think Cameroon will beat China 2 - 1.

 

[ashtongate]

Is eight subs the rules for this tournament? Didn't Cameroon use only 3 or 4?
Eight subs is too much for one match really and doesn't improve the spectacle.
Should be only five- they can try the extra players in the next match against Curacao.

 

[ashtongate]

Interesting that Cameroon were very physically strong in the challenge. Most of their players are young and want to put their hands up for ongoing selection.

Cameroon have long been renowned for their ferocious tackling.

 

[patjennings]

Have to say. Okon 10x better than Metcalfe. Actually passing it forward at least

Metcalfe short of a gallop. Okon looked better because he got the ball after Burgess it lobbed it long - he still won't try and help out a defence under the pump as an outlet. Let's face it - he is not what we need at the World Cup. Ease him in at the Nations League after he moves from a dominant team to a struggler somewhere and proves he can provide an outlet. At the moment he has proved nothing for what we need.

 

[patjennings]

ok negatives

Metcalf was a bit negative when receiving the ball in between the lines from the cbs. There were times he had enough space to turn but instead hit it back to the cbs. O'niell isn't technically strong enough to do this consistently, so that's just priced in with him starting. But we struggled to turn some impressive press resistance into meaningful attack in the first half. Maybe metcalfs first game at cm. he was just too conservative? Having 2 cms who won't progress the ball means we are only progressing the ball through our wingbacks

Boyle started bright but I thought struggled to make an impact,

Juric's first game seemed very quiet, will see if there is something I'm missing on the replay. His fotmob rating is decent so I'm open minded, but live seemed to struggle

No Robbo

any others?

And yet no-one did it better. Okon looked good on the ball after the ball was lobbed long by Burgess but I didn't notice him offering as an outlet for the CBs. Metcalfe for me is on the plane - he can play in a multitude of roles. Okon has not proven he can do what we will need from him - provide an outlet.

 

[NoMates]

Socceroos are no match for NRL and AFL once again.
SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seven 1,952,000
FRIDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE Nine 1,528,000
FOOTBALL: SOCCEROOS V CAMEROON 10 666,000

 

[jas88]

Very poor choice of stadium for last night. When I last went to Stadium Australia from the city I forgot how long it takes even with the express service. I know the other codes are on but it should've been at a rectangular ground.

Shouild of been at Parramatta. Especially with the larger african migration we have seen the last few years. Much better surface and stadium for football. There were no NRL or AFL games on in Sydnay last night.

 

[zimbos05]

Watched the highlights today. It started at at the 67th minute. How drab was the game?

That Cameroon chose to rest a few of their key players too, and we struggled a bit is a little alarming. In saying this, it is a friendly. So kind of expect things to not be perfect.

 

[Quicky]

Funny thing when we gave Ange the role, Marcelo Bielsa had been very interested in the job.

Given what he did at Leeds and what he's now doing with Uruguay and his past work with Argentina and Chile that's a huge case of what might've been.

Ange won an Asian Cup. I'm happy we had Ange.

 

[patjennings]

Watched the highlights today. It started at at the 67th minute. How drab was the game?

That Cameroon chose to rest a few of their key players too, and we struggled a bit is a little alarming. In saying this, it is a friendly. So kind of expect things to not be perfect.

Cameroon had one injury and are rebuilding after not qualifying - not resting players.

 

[Bbouy]

One positive about Robbo not playing is that will be fresh for the Curacao game. Rested, multiple training sessions, weaker opponent, more possession based game, better pitch and weather. I expect him to look really good on Tuesday. Though, if he doesn't get any minutes then nothing really makes sense anymore.

 

[Bbouy]

Added, I'd love to see an Okon and Robertson starting midfield against Curacao.

Would love to see how attacking we can be when our mids first instinct is to turn and get the ball forward. Similarly, play Nestor as the striking option again and see how he goes with good service and with McGree out-wide.

 

[zimbos05]

Granted, Mbeumo had to pull out, but they still are missing some key players. No Baleba, Jean Onana, Anguissa, Ndzie.

 

[grazorblade]

Agree with a most of this, except the third last sentence.

On a heavy pitch ( they need some games in a dry summer place like eastern Tasmania), Cameroon effectively closed down the Aus passing lanes further forwards.

I think the checking, and forwards movement off the ball was okay from Aus, but it could have been better. Would have liked Metcalfe in amore attacking role, and to replace Italiano at RWB whe he went off, and to have started Okon Jr at DM.

Apart from having a great engine, Boyle is a consistent underperformer for the Roos when I compile stats. He might be a brilliant, experienced mentor though to young players?

I saw a lot of clumsly tackles committed by Aus, with players tackling off the wrong foot, which was their preferrred foot. They would have had better body shape to tackle off their non-preferred foot in some instances.

It was later in the game so could have been against tired legs, but okons ability to find forward options suggested to me that our 1st half midfield couldve done better (in defense of the 3rd last sentence)

 

[grazorblade]

Popa gets less criticism than Arnold ever did tbf.

The big issue people have with Popa is his tactics produce dull, dour football and his terrible man management skills has seen us lose players who could've been a part of the team for the next decade.

Hard to argue with those negatives
Results so far a big positive. I guess the fa could do more to compensate for his dual national game

 

[grazorblade]

To play forwards one needs more advanced players to shake their markers, and open diagonal passing lanes. The straight ball played forwards is only effective if a player is unmarked. The diagonal ball enables a player to receive and simultaneously scan the field for opponents, as they receive the ball.

I think this is a bit out of date? If u watch some of our best young players like okon, they shield the ball to buy time to find a forward option rather than pass back if they dont see one.

 

[grazorblade]

I don't blame him for players leaving.

I think both Popa and Arnie received a lot of harsh criticism.

For the players joining other countries, we have even better players coming through who have committed to Aus - Mo Toure, Iran, Herrington, Circati, Bos, et al.

Herrington has come from nowhere, looking like he could be as good as any Socceroo ever. There might be a few others too - Sicluna, Younis?

pribably true of sega, less true of triantis imo
Also croatia willing to chase players so far down the pecking order as segecic suggests we are in a brutal competition in international football. So gotta make our pool as big as possible

 

[grazorblade]

In other words the perfect Popovic player.
In his own image, so to speak. Strong defensively, no capacity to create anything.

He big chance creation is near the top (also done well for the roos)

Its his shooting that is remedial

 

[grazorblade]

We don't want Metcalfe to shoot. The only goal he scored for Aust the Saudi Keeper moved out of the way, the ball was straight at him. I have a theory that people who worry about/psychologically "see" the keeper either shoot at them or wide. People who "see the net" and look beyond the keeper are more likely to score.

For all the positives of metcalf his shooting is indeed a big negative